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The literature on interactivity includes many assumptions and some definitions but few tools for operationalizing the concept of interactivity in computer-mediated environments. This article takes an early step in filling that gap. In-depth interviews with 10 individuals who work and teach in the field of interactive communication led to a conceptual definition of interactivity based on six dimensions: direction of communication, time flexibility, sense of place, level of control, responsiveness, and perceived purpose of communication. Suggestions are made for applying these dimensions to multiple forms of computer-mediated communication. Future research should empirically test the existence and application of these dimensions.

Recognizing the birth and potential of the emerging field of public interest communications (PIC), and building on Fessmann’s work summarizing the field’s foci presented elsewhere in this journal, this article offers 10 considerations for PIC’s proponents to think about as the field’s body of knowledge begins to grow. These considerations suggest we consider that: doing good is a relative concept; interdisciplinary scholarship has great value; understanding practitioners’ lives in the field will enhance PIC scholarship; organizing PIC scholars will empower them; social media empower advocacy; a humanistic philosophy should drive the field’s research and teaching; multiple actors in the public policy process influence PIC; and being a do-gooder might not be such a bad thing.

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Adolescent depression is a serious disorder marked by a prevalence rate of approximately 5% along with significant rates of relapse and mortality (Brent & Birmaher, 2002). This qualitative study involved semistructured interviews of nine young adults who were diagnosed with and treated for major depressive disorder between the ages of 15 and 18. Five themes emerged from the interviews: (a) talking to a counselor about their depression was helpful; (b) participants obtained relief in their counseling and expressed respect for their professional helpers; (c) parental (and adult) partnerships are important; (d) friends of the adolescent clients were usually helpful to them; and (e) the adolescents possessed a realistic optimism concerning a possible subsequent depressive episode. Implications for mental health counselors are also discussed.